1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a medical probe or catheter with a working end configured for thermally-mediated treatment of blood vessels to elicit an immune response to cause rapid endothelial growth over at least portions of a stent to prevent adverse events such as restenosis.
2. Description of Related Art
A myocardial infarction is a form of disorder that is caused by a sudden lack of oxygen and nutrients to heart muscles. Myocardial infarction (MI) may account for as much as 20% of deaths in the U.S. and is a major cause of sudden death in adults. In the past, it was believed that MI was caused by arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries in coronary vessels which progressively closed the arteries to normal blood flow. More recently, it has been learned that sudden blockages of arteries, for example, by the rupture of cholesterol plaque can result in blood clotting and occlusion of an artery. In this case, the restricted blood flow will cause cellular damage to heart muscle downstream, which can be fatal. Another form of MI that can result in sudden death relates to vasospasm in coronary arteries. New systems and methods are needed for treating arteries to prevent vasospasm and other body structures to prevent muscle spasms.